After a largely uninspiring 1-1 tie with Uruguay, Thomas Tuchel will be keen to end this block of friendlies on a high against the Japanese.
England vs Japan Betting Predictions
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
- England -1 (Handicap 3-Way) @ +150 with bet365
- Both Teams to score (No) @ -111 with bet365
- Harry Kane Anytime goalscorer @ -111 with bet365
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Tuchel’s strong XI likely to overpower Japan
According to the latest media reports, Thomas Tuchel is expected to field a relatively strong team against Japan. He plans to choose a starting XI he believes could start a group-stage match at the World Cup finals this summer.
Players including Harry Kane, Morgan Rogers, and Anthony Gordon are expected to return to the team. Kane's presence alone should motivate England's midfielders, knowing they have a world-class striker ahead of them.
When playing away from home, the Japanese lost 2-0 against the USA last September. England are a stronger team than the Americans. Considering Japan's own injury problems, they will find their second match in four days physically demanding. Backing England to win by a margin of at least two goals is the value bet from our three England vs Japan predictions.
- England vs Japan Bet 1: England -1 (Handicap 3-Way) @ +150 with bet365
Clean sheet likely for the Three Lions
England have conceded only four goals across their last eight home matches in all competitions. Meanwhile, the Japanese have scored only twice during their previous five games played outside of Japan.
However, we can back either team to maintain a clean sheet on Tuesday evening at an implied probability of only 52%.
This percentage is likely underestimated because of the numerous changes anticipated from Tuchel. However, we believe England's starting lineup will be stronger than expected. Pickford will be selected in goal instead of Trafford. Meanwhile, defenders such as Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa are performing well and should be able to prevent the Samurai Blue from scoring.
- England vs Japan Bet 2: Both Teams to score (No) @ -111 with bet365
Kane to continue his excellent goalscoring form
England captain Harry Kane has displayed incredible form during the 2025/26 season. Despite managing some minor injuries, the Bayern Munich striker has returned to the squad to play against Japan this week.
Kane averaged one goal per game during World Cup qualification, achieving a 100% strike rate. He has improved upon that record for Bayern this season, scoring 31 goals across 26 Bundesliga appearances.
However, we can back him to score at any time on Tuesday at an implied probability of only 52%. This is another excellent bet, especially since the English media appear convinced that Kane will return to the starting lineup on Tuesday.
- England vs Japan Bet 3: Harry Kane Anytime goalscorer @ -111 with bet365
Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction - England 2-0 Japan
- Goalscorers prediction - England: Kane, Gordon - Japan: N/A
After Friday night's dull home match against Uruguay, England host Japan at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday evening.
This is the final opportunity for many of Thomas Tuchel's squad players to secure their place for the tournament in America in two months. Similar to Friday's game, Tuchel is expected to provide an opportunity for several of his backup players, allowing them to demonstrate their quality. This won't be an easy game against the Samurai Blue, who have also qualified for this summer's finals.
Tuchel is likely to make numerous changes to his starting team again on Tuesday. Players such as James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Elliot Anderson, and Harry Kane are all expected to feature. Noni Madueke is unavailable following his injury during Friday's uninspiring draw against Uruguay. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have also returned to Arsenal for medical assessment. Everton midfielder James Garner might also be considered, as Tuchel was impressed by his substitute appearance against Uruguay.
This is the second of two friendlies based in the UK for Japan, following their match against Scotland on Saturday. They will have one fewer day to rest and recover for the game at Wembley, which is not ideal for Hajime Moriyasu's team.
The Samurai Blue squad has also been affected by injuries to senior players. There is a genuine sense that both teams would prefer not to play this fixture. Captain Wataru Endo is absent with an ankle injury and remains a doubt for the World Cup. Meanwhile, Itakura, Tomiyasu, Kubo, and Minamino are all absent from this round of international friendly matches.
Probable lineups for England vs Japan
England expected lineup: Trafford; O’Reilly, Livramento, Konsa, Guehi, Garner, Anderson, Rogers, Bowen, Gordon, Kane
Japan expected lineup: Z. Suzuki; J. Suzuki, Taniguchi, Watanabe, Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura, Tanaka, Mitoma, Ueda